Rosalind
by Sarcastic-Bludger
Summary: So, what if Hermione actually did have a little sister? What if that sister had cancer? Takes place immediately after Second War. Almost canon-compliant. One-shot. Warning: quite sad.


**Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling, and therefore do not own the Harry Potter franchise. **

_**AN:** This is almost perfectly canon compliant, with the addition of a single character- Rosalind Granger, Hermione's little sister who may or may not exist according to the canon universe. Also, you may need tissues._

* * *

May 3, 1998

"I have to go somewhere," I said quietly. Harry looked at me. His disbelief was clearly showing in his eyes. That was okay. I didn't mind. He needed to trust me though. There was something I had to do. Somewhere I had to go.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Maybe he thought it had to do with my parents. Was he really offering to go all the way to Australia with me? That didn't surprise me. Harry was that kind of person. He didn't need to go with me there. He just needed to come with me to London.

"Do you want to learn something about my family?"

"Of course."

* * *

_Here lies Rosalind Patience Granger,_

_A beloved daughter, and a wonderful sister._

_November 1, 1985 – April 19, 1996_

"Your sister?" Harry asked me gently.

"We called her Rose. She had Leukemia. In the beginning, they said she would be okay. They caught it early. It had a high survival rate. All she needed was proper treatment and a bit of luck. Well, she had the best treatment my parents could find. She never managed to find the luck."

I didn't want to cry again. I cried yesterday. There shouldn't be any tears left to cry. I was wrong.

Yesterday's tears belonged to Fred, Tonks, Lupin, and Colin. Today's tears belonged to Rose.

"She got her Hogwarts letter. She was really excited. Two witches in the family, my parents didn't know what they were going to do with themselves. They refused to dampen Rose's spirits though. She would've started Hogwarts that September, but she died in April."

"I remember you missing school."

Sixth year had been a hectic time for all of us. I wasn't shocked that Harry remembered me missing three days of school. I hadn't wanted a big deal made. Nobody even knew I had a sister. It could be deduced by the picture of the two of us I used to keep on my bedside table, but I never actually told anyone. Dumbledore had told Harry and Ron that I was sick and Madame Pomfrey refused to let anyone see me. Three days later, I was back at Hogwarts and the rumors ran rampant about my short disappearance.

"I wasn't actually sick. I was attending Rose's funeral."

"I realize that now. Are you okay?"

"I should've visited last month."

"How could you have?"

"I don't know, but I should've."

Harry wrapped his arms around me. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and breathed in deeply. The tears fell fast now. When the wet droplets soaked through his shirt, Harry tightened his arms. I drew comfort from the embrace. God knows I needed it.

The memories flitted across my mind. I missed her. I needed to remember her.

I remembered meeting her.

_"Mia, would you like to hold Rose?"_

_ "I thought her name was Rosalind, Mama."_

_ I looked at the baby wrapped up in a blanket in my Mama's arms. She was pretty. I felt like I had to protect her. I'm a big sister now. It's my job to keep her safe. _

_ "And my name is Hermione."_

I remembered telling my parents that something was wrong.

_"She bruises if someone touches her, William. That isn't normal!"_

_ "Rosalind is fine, Olivia. I don't think there's anything to worry about?" _

_ I crept into the living room. Mama and Papa were arguing again, but I was used to that. I was a big girl now, and it was up to me to tell Mama and Papa what was happening. _

_ "Mama, Rosie is wheezing really badly. I don't think she's breathing well."_

_ Mama and Papa looked at each other. I knew that look. It was how they always looked at each other when I had a cold or the flu. That was their "concerned" look. It meant that something was wrong. Was something wrong with Rosie?_

_ "Mia, put your shoes and coat on. Mama is going to go get Rose, and we're going to take her to the hospital. You can come with us, or I can drop you off with Aunt Helen."_

_ I crossed my arms stubbornly. _

_ "I'm going with you, Papa."_

I remembered my parents reacting to the diagnosis, and not knowing what it meant.

_I hugged Rose tightly. I was nine and she was four. I was supposed to protect her, and protection meant comfort, right? Well, Rose was crying because they stuck needles in her. So she needed comfort. So I hugged her!_

_ The men in white coats- doctors- were talking to Mama and Papa. I heard three different snippets of conversation. The first: 'It's Leukemia'. The second: 'It's manageable'. The third: 'Treatment will need to begin almost immediately'. _

_ I was smart. I could put that together. Something was wrong with my sister. She was sick- Leukemia? She needed some kind of treatment. I hoped she was going to be okay._

I remembered Rose losing her hair.

_"Mama," I shrieked. _

_ Mama looked up immediately from her corner of the hospital room. She'd been trying to leave Rose and I alone to play. I was doing Rose's hair. Or I was trying to. _

_ She came over immediately. "Oh, Mia…"_

_ She sat down on the bed with us and explained that Rose's hair was falling out because of her medicine. She said that Rose could choose what to do now. Whether she wanted to shave it all off, or let it fall out as it chose. _

_ Rose looked at me with her big brown eyes full of tears. Her bottom lip quivered and she burst into heartbreaking sobs. Quickly, I drew her into a hug. Her tears soaked my Snow White shirt, but I didn't mind. I would do anything to comfort Rose._

_ "What do I do, Sissy?"_

_ I closed my eyes. _

_ "Shave it all, Mama. Maybe we can get Rose a Cinderella scarf?" _

_ Because happiness was all Rose ever cared about. And Rose was all that ever meant anything to me._

I remembered receiving my Hogwarts letter. I remembered Professor Snape (yes, Snape was the man to introduce my family to a world of magic. No, Harry and Ron don't know that) explaining everything to my Mum. I remembered Rose reacting to a boarding school.

_"Mum, what is this?" I demanded. A letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry lay on our dining room table. It had to be a hoax. It just had to be. I wasn't a witch. If I were a witch, I could do magic and make Rose better. _

_ "I don't know, sweetheart. It's probably just a prank."_

_ The doorbell rang and my sister's childish voice yelled out "I'll get it!" _

_ Mum and I both moved to stop her. She opened the door before we could get there, and a tall man in long, black clothing moved into our house. Mum grabbed Rose in a swift movement. I could practically see the bruise forming on her arm. It would be there in no less than an hour at any rate._

_ "Rosie, you aren't supposed to answer the door," I hissed just as Mum asked the man who he was. _

_ "I am Professor Severus Snape. I am the representative this year to introduce muggleborn students to the magical world." _

_ I stared up at the tall man. Wait, it wasn't a prank?_

_ "Mia, get your father." _

_ "Mum, Dad's at work and won't be home till after tea."_

_ "Well, take your sister to the park." _

_ "The doctors said no strenuous exercise."_

_ "For God Sake's Hermione! Take your sister and let me have a conversation in private."_

_ Rose started crying when Mum raised her voice. I quickly pulled Rose from Mum's arms- she was light and easy to carry anyway. I didn't want her crying too much. Rose had no reason to be crying. We did everything possible to ensure her happiness._

_ "Yes, Mum. Come on, Rosie, we'll go play with your dolls."_

_ Rose wrapped her arms around my neck and looked back at the Professor. "He's magic too, isn't he, Mia?"_

_ "Too?" The Professor inquired. He raised his eyebrows at my sister's words. _

_ "Mia does things. She makes me happy when I feel sad. Sometimes, when she feels sad, the lights go out. Then, one time, the doctors told Mummy I wasn't going to get better, and a whole window blew up!"_

_ "Rose, hush, you're going to get better," I insisted. I could already feel myself getting upset. Mum would probably be upset if I destroyed another vase. Huh, maybe I was magic._

_ "Fine, you might as well stay, Hermione, Rosalind."_

_ Mum sat us down and the Professor began to explain._

_ "Your daughter is a witch. A muggleborn to be precise, meaning that she is a magical being born to two non-magical beings. The strange things she does? The window exploding, manipulating emotions- those are all cases of accidental magic. On September 1, she can begin attending Hogwarts. Hogwarts will teach her to control her magic."_

_ "Hogwarts? Where is that?"_

_ "The general idea is that Hogwarts is located in Scotland." _

_ Mum began laughing at the Professor's words. He stared. _

_ "I don't see how that is funny, Madame Granger."_

_ "Hermione can't possibly attend a school in Scotland and come home every night."_

_ "That would be why Hogwarts is a boarding school."_

_ Then all Hell broke loose. _

_ Rose began crying and Mum started ranting. I just sat there quietly with Rose in my lap, trying to comfort her. No, I wasn't going to away. No, I wasn't leaving her. Yes, I would always be with her. That sort of thing._

_ "Calm yourself," the Professor ordered. "Now, why is there an issue?" _

_ "Rosalind has cancer, supposedly terminal. Hermione can't possibly attending a boarding school while her sister is sick at home."_

_ The argument continued. I just remembered calming Rose down and hugging her. _

I remembered leaving for my first year at Hogwarts.

_"You are leaving me," Rose accused. _

_ I glanced at the scarlet train. My heart clenched. Mum and Dad watched from the sideline. This was an issue between sisters. They seemed to recognize that._

_ "I'll always be with you." _

_ Then the whistle blew and I had to leave my sister for the first time- ever._

I remembered exchanging letters with her whenever I was at school. I remembered going home for the Holidays. I remembered leaving again, and knowing how much it hurt her to see me get on the train. I remembered that first set of summer holidays before life began to get darker.

I remembered going to the zoo, the ballet, and the opera. I remembered doing everything we possibly could to make sure Rose experienced everything life had to offer. I remembered her reaction to my second year. When I couldn't come home over Christmas, and I stopped writing while I was petrified even though my family knew what was wrong.

I remembered Rose being in remission for the entirety of my third, fourth and fifth year before the cancer came back stronger than ever just before starting sixth year. I remember getting the letter from my Mum that Rose was permanently admitted to the Hospital. I remembered making the hardest decision of my life- to stay at Hogwarts over the Holiday instead of going home. God, I should've gone home. It would've been my last chance to see Rose alive.

I remembered getting the letter from Mum, that Rose was gone. I remembered that heartbreaking anguish that sent me to my knees when I realized I was never going to see her again. I'd taken her brief healthy stint for granted. I hadn't spent every minute I could've with her.

I was so stupid. I was so damn stupid. Why didn't I spend time with her when I could've?

I hated myself. She died without me there. She died thinking I didn't care because I didn't come home that Holiday.

I remembered her funeral. It was the worst experience in my life. The Battle for Hogwarts had nothing on the funeral for my little sister. I would fight a thousand battles if it meant having Rosie back for one more day.

I stared at her tombstone.

"Rosalind and Hermione. Your parents really had a thing for Shakespeare, huh?" Harry asked.

In spite of myself, I smiled.

"My mum's name is Olivia. My dad's is William. I have an Aunt named Helen."

He laughed. It felt so good to hear that laughter.

If I couldn't keep Rose safe anymore, then I'd be damned if I didn't keep Harry safe. Physical status wasn't all that went into safety. Harry had to be happy too. I'd be damned if I let Harry be sad.

_Forgive me, Rose, for not being there for you always. I'll try my best to make you proud now. I'll keep Harry safe, and be with him forever. I don't know if that will do anything to make you feel better. Please know how sorry I am, and how much I regret ever leaving you. Please know that I love you, and always will. You are forever the most important person in my heart. _

I think we both felt the soft wave of air that wrapped around us. Slowly, the gentle brush disappeared. A bright light appeared and then left. Somehow, more tears didn't fall.

Instead, Harry and I just stood there, hugging.

I didn't need to cry anymore.

Rose didn't want me to cry anymore.

* * *

_AN:_ I'm so sorry this is so depressing. It was a storyline that was nagging to be written. Now back to my regularly scheduled stories (that actually have no schedule at all).


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